Senate Passes Democrats' Budget,
Aims to Retain Some Bush Tax Cuts

By

John Godfrey

Updated March 23, 2007 5:34 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate voted 52-47 Friday to approve a five-year balanced budget plan that would try to force Congress pay for the cost of extending tax cuts enacted in President Bush's first term.

In recent years Congress has made some of those tax cuts permanent but hasn't had to raise taxes or cut spending to make up the cost. Under the budget plan, Congress would also have to offset the cost of protecting middle-income...